9 authors pick their must-read fall thrillers

"Jess Lourey's Litani is a must-read for spooky season. A terrifying portrait of a sleepy little town where horror lurks just beneath the surface, it's perfect for fans of Stephen King." —Michele Campbell, author of It's Always the Husband

"Tara Goedjen's No Beauties or Monsters is an uncanny mystery wrapped in a desert fever dream. Fans of Stranger Things will find a lot to love in this reality-slipping tale of missing girls, a killer on the loose, and monstrous secrets." —Krystal Sutherland, author of House of Hallow

"This tightly plotted debut weaves together themes of ambition, rage, and complicated female friendships with all the grace and deftness of a professional dancer. It's beautifully written and incredibly tense — I couldn't put it down." —Andrea Bartz, author of We Were Never Here and The Herd

"Kyra Wilder's Little Bandaged Days is a stunning debut! Brilliantly claustrophobic, it's a tense fever dream of a novel that tells the story of Erika, a young ex-pat mother of two small children, and her slide into madness. In pitch-perfect prose, Kyra Wilder reveals Erika's unraveling inner and outer world. The exquisite sense of dread created by this novel exerts a seductive pull and does a gorgeous job of parsing the dark side of motherhood. Highly recommended!" —Victoria Mas, author of The Mad Women's Ball

"Fantastically disturbing and expertly eerie, All These Bodies is the perfect chilling page-turner. Kendare Blake has skillfully crafted a thought-provoking tale of murder and mystery that is far more than it appears on the surface. You'll be questioning what's true, who to trust, and what you believe until the brilliant end." —Stephanie Garber, author of the Caraval series

"I was immediately drawn to the setting and survival aspect of Ski Weekend. With such a juicy premise, who could resist picking up the book? From there, I was sucked in by the extremely well-developed characters and their stories. Chills, thrills, and secrets aplenty — Ski Weekend will have you constantly guessing what happens next and relentlessly playing with your emotions. An absolute must-read this season!" —Laurie Elizabeth Flynn, author of The Girls Are All So Nice Here 

"With its richly dark setting and its wildly compelling characters, A History of Wild Places is a great immersive read. This book will both transport and enchant readers who like an edge to their stories — it certainly has vivid and disturbing moments that stick in your mind long after you've finished reading it." —Phoebe Wynne, author of the forthcoming The Ruins and Madam

"Karen and I debuted the same year and I remember reading an early copy of One of Us Is Lying. I just knew it was going to be a hit! The characters were so addictive to follow, it made me fall in love with Karen's brilliant writing style, mashing some of my favorite thriller elements in one perfectly crafted story. I literally can't wait to return to Bayview High." —Tiffany D. Jackson, author of White Smoke and Grown

"Yes, it's dark, yes; it's brilliant, yes; it's original, yes; and it's so very surprising! But what I especially adore about These Toxic Things is that Rachel Howzell Hall's thriller is born of love — of a thoughtful and skilled woman trying to do the right thing, trying to do her job, trying to honor someone's last wishes. But Hall takes things as relatable as scrapbooking and mother-daughter relationships and gentrification and then skillfully twists them into a sinister and riveting story where memories are weaponized, keepsakes are deadly, and the past gets ugly.  And don't even try to figure out the ending — just let this beautifully written book carry you away." —Hank Phillippi Ryan, author ofThe First to Lie